Microvascular

When surgery is required in the head and neck, structures important for appearance and function are oftentimes removed. This is necessary to remove the cancer but may result in disfigurement or loss of functions such as swallowing. Using microvascular surgical techniques, our surgeons are able to bring new tissue into the defects to optimally reconstruct and rehabilitate those defects. This may include bone from the leg, hip, arm, or back. We may also use skin or muscle from the arm, leg, abdomen, or back. These tissues are then placed to reconstruct the patient as well as possible. The blood vessels of the donated tissue are then sutured into place with suture one-third the size of a human hair to provide nutrition for the flap.

Your surgeon may request preoperative testing to ensure normal anatomy and help predict the greatest success possible for the reconstruction. This surgery is quite long and extensive and usually results in at least a one week hospitalization for most cases.